Implantable nerve transducer

ABSTRACT

Implantable nerve transducers are provided herein, along with methods of fabricated such implantable nerve transducers. An exemplary implantable nerve transducer includes a plurality of semiconductor structures protruding from an exterior surface provided by a substrate and a plurality of conductors extending from the exterior surface of the substrate to an interior surface of the substrate and within a plurality of openings in the substrate. Each conductor is electrically coupled to one of the semiconductor structures. The exemplary implantable nerve transducer further includes one or more electronic components electrically coupled to the semiconductor structures by the conductors and a cap bonded to the substrate to provide a sealed chamber. The sealed chamber contains the one or more electronic components.

RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/886,881, filed Feb. 2, 2018, which claims priority to and benefit ofU.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/455,324, filed Feb. 6, 2017,each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to neuromodulation and, moreparticularly, to devices, systems, and methods for electricallystimulating nerve(s), blocking nerve signaling, and/or monitoring nerveactivity and to methods of fabricating such devices and systems.

BACKGROUND

Neuromodulation continues to increase as an adopted technique fortreating of a wide variety of medical conditions. For example,neuromodulation devices for spinal cord stimulation have been utilizedfor the management of pain. Similarly, neuromodulation devices for deepbrain stimulation have been utilized for the treatment of Parkinson's,essential tremor, dystonia, and other disorders. Neuromodulation devicesfor vagus nerve stimulation have been utilized to control seizures, suchas those associated with epilepsy. Also, neuromodulation devices forrenal nerve stimulation have been utilized to control blood pressure.

Neuromodulation devices typically require a surgical procedure to forimplantation at a desired location within a patient. Because suchdevices are implanted, making the devices small is a concern. The use ofmicroelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology can aid in theproduction of devices that are small enough for implantation. Advancesin fabrication of increasingly miniscule integrated circuit (IC) deviceshave coincided with advances in the use of semiconductors to formmechanical and electromechanical structures.

One promising application of MEMS devices includes the use of nano-scaleand micro-scale electrodes formed on an IC substrate to measure andstimulate living tissue. The MEMS electrodes may be used to provideelectrical stimulation and to measure electrical activity. Theseelectrical potentials may represent sensory perception, muscularcontrol, and other neural signals, and the electrodes may provide anavenue to restore lost neural function by stimulating targeted neurons.MEMS devices may also permit multiple components to be packages togetherto decrease the overall size of a device. However, the promised benefitshave not yet been fully achieved. Accordingly, existing MEMS deviceshave been generally adequate but have not been entirely satisfactory inall respects.

As a result, there is a need for improved devices, systems, and methodsfor electrically stimulating nerves and/or monitoring nerve activity.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to neuromodulation and, moreparticularly, to devices, systems, and methods for electricallystimulating nerve(s), blocking nerve signaling, and/or monitoring nerveactivity and to methods of fabricating such devices and systems.

One exemplary aspect includes a method of fabricating an implantabledevice. An embodiment of the method includes forming at least oneopening through a first substrate, bonding the first substrate to asecond substrate, removing a portion of the second substrate, patterninga semiconductor layer of the second substrate to define a semiconductorstructure over each opening of the first substrate, depositing a firstconductive material over each semiconductor structure, and depositing asecond conductive material within each opening of the first substratesuch that the second conductive material is electrically coupled to thesemiconductor structure. Other embodiments of this aspect includecorresponding computer systems, apparatus, and computer programsrecorded on one or more computer storage devices, each configured toperform the actions of the method or cause one or more machines toperform the actions of the method.

Another exemplary aspect includes a method of fabricating a plurality ofimplantable devices. An embodiment of the method includes bonding afirst wafer to a second wafer, the first wafer having a plurality ofthrough-wafer features formed therethrough. The method further includesremoving a portion of the second wafer, patterning a semiconductor layerof the second wafer to define a semiconductor structure over each of theplurality of through-wafer features in the first wafer, and depositing afirst conductive material over each semiconductor structure. Otherembodiments of this aspect include corresponding computer systems,apparatus, and computer programs recorded on one or more computerstorage devices, each configured to perform the actions of the method orcause one or more machines to perform the actions of the method.

Yet another exemplary aspect includes an implantable nerve transducer.An embodiment of the implantable nerve transducer includes a pluralityof semiconductor structures protruding from an exterior surface providedby a substrate and a plurality of conductors extending from the exteriorsurface of the substrate to an interior surface of the substrate andwithin a plurality of openings in the substrate. Each conductorelectrically is coupled to one of the semiconductor structures. Theembodiment of the implantable nerve transducer further including one ormore electronic components electrically coupled to the semiconductorstructures by the conductors and a cap bonded to the substrate toprovide a sealed chamber. The sealed chamber contains the one or moreelectronic components. Other embodiments of this aspect include methodsof forming an individual implantable nerve transducer and forming aplurality of implantable nerve transducers.

Additional aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosurewill become apparent from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a method of fabricating an implantable nervetransducer according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, and 2G are a series of cross-sectionalside views of an implantable nerve transducer during fabricationaccording to the flowchart of FIG. 1 and according to embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

FIGS. 2H and 2I cross-sectional side views of alternative embodiments ofthe implantable nerve transducer of FIGS. 2A-G according to embodimentsof the present disclosure.

FIG. 2J is a diagrammatic, partial cross-sectional top view of animplantable nerve transducer according to embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2K is a diagrammatic, partial cross-sectional bottom view of animplantable nerve transducer according to embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2L is a cross-sectional side view of the implantable nervetransducer of FIGS. 2A-G according to embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIGS. 2M, 2N, and 2O are bottom views of a substrate includes viasaccording to embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method of wafer-level fabrication of aplurality of implantable nerve transducers according to embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 4F, 4G, 4H, 4I, 4J, 4K, and 4L are a series ofcross-sectional side views of a plurality of implantable nervetransducers as fabricated according to the flowchart of FIG. 3 andaccording to embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are cross-sectional side views of exemplary implantablenerve transducers having varying electrodes according to embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

Theses drawings may be better understood by reference to the followingdetailed description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of thepresent disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodimentsillustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used todescribe the same. It is nevertheless understood that no limitation tothe scope of the disclosure is intended. Any alterations and furthermodifications to the described methods, devices, and systems, and anyfurther application of the principles of the present disclosure arefully contemplated and included within the present disclosure as wouldnormally occur to one of ordinary skill in the art to which thedisclosure relates. In particular, it is fully contemplated that thesteps, features, and/or components described with respect to oneembodiment may be combined with the steps, features, and/or componentsdescribed with respect to other embodiments of the present disclosure.For the sake of brevity, however, the numerous iterations of thesecombinations will not be described separately.

Further, spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,”“above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease ofdescription to describe one element or feature's relationship to anotherelement(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. The spatiallyrelative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of thedevice in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted inthe figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over,elements described as being “below” or “beneath” other elements orfeatures would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features.Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both an orientation ofabove and below. The apparatus may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptorsused herein may likewise be interpreted accordingly.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a method 100 for fabricating an electrode foran implantable nerve transducer. The method 100 is illustrated as aseries of enumerated steps or operations. Embodiments of the method 100may include additional or alternative operations before, after, inbetween, or as part of the enumerated operations. Furthermore, someembodiments may not include all of the operations depicted in FIG. 1. Indescribing the method 100, reference is made to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D,2E, 2F, and 2G.

Accordingly, some embodiments of the method 100 may begin at operation102, in which at least one through-wafer feature is formed in a firstsubstrate. As shown in FIG. 2A, the first substrate 200 has a first holeor opening 202 formed therein as the at least one through-wafer feature.An additional opening 204 is also shown in FIG. 2A. Some embodiments ofthe first substrate 200 may include fewer or more openings formedtherein. As illustrated, the openings 202 and 204 are tapered openings,such that the openings are larger on one side of the substrate 200 thanon the other side. The openings 202 may be formed by mechanicaldrilling, etching, laser ablation, or another suitable process.

At operation 104, the first substrate is bonded to a second substrate.As shown in FIG. 2A, the second substrate 210 may include multiplelayers of different materials. As shown in FIG. 2A, the second substrate210 includes a handling layer 212, an intermediate layer 214, and asemiconductor layer 216. The handling layer 212 may be a silicon layerand the intermediate layer 214 may be a silicon oxide layer, such as aburied oxide layer. The semiconductor layer 216 may be a silicon layeras well. Accordingly, the second substrate 210 may be asemiconductor-on-insulator substrate or a silicon-on-insulatorsubstrate. In some embodiments, the semiconductor layer 216 may be adoped semiconductor layer having dopants activated there so that thelayer has a conductivity that is greater than the bulk material of thehandling layer 212. The semiconductor layer 216 may range in size fromabout 10 μm to more than 100 μm. In the depicted embodiment, thesemiconductor layer 216 is about 20 μm thick.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the second substrate 210 may be positioned indirect contact with the first substrate 200 so that the substrates 200and 210 may be bonded together at operation 104. In order to bond thesubstrates 200 and 210, anodic bonding may be performed. To perform theanodic bonding, a first electrode may be coupled to the first substrate200, while a second electrode is coupled to the second substrate 210.The substrates 200 and 210 may be heated and an electrostatic field maybe applied using the first and second electrodes. The process seals thesemiconductor layer 216 of the second substrate 210 to the firstsubstrate 200 with a hermetic seal that may prevent bodily fluids frompassing between the semiconductor layer 216 and the first substrate 200.In some embodiments, the first and second substrates 200 and 210 may belaser welded to form a hermetic seal between them. When the substrates200 and 210 are laser welded, they may first be heated to about 100° C.and then annealed with a laser weld.

At operation 106, some of the material of the second substrate 210 maybe removed. For example, a chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP)process may be performed to remove the handling layer 212 and theintermediate layer 214. In some embodiments, the handling layer 212 maybe removed by a CMP process, while a chemical etch is used to remove theintermediate layer 214. The removal of material from the secondsubstrate 210 may expose the unbonded surface of the semiconductor layer216, as shown in FIG. 2C.

At operation 108, the semiconductor layer of the second substrate may bepatterned to define a semiconductor structure over each opening in thefirst substrate. As shown in FIG. 2C, an etch mask 220 may be formedover the semiconductor layer 216. For example, a photoactive polymericlayer may be dispersed over the semiconductor layer 216 and patternedwith a photolithographic process to produce mask features 222 and 224 inthe etch mask 220. The mask features 222 and 224 may be positioned overthe openings 202 and 204 formed in the first substrate 200. The openings202 and 204 may be formed by a deep reactive ion etch process. Forexample, the ZERO-CROSSTALK™ DRIE process employed by SilexMicrosystems, Inc. of Palo Alto, Calif. may be used to generate theopenings 202 and 204, which may have tapered or straight profiles.Patterning the mask features 222 and 224 may include soft baking, maskaligning, exposure, post-exposure baking, developing the photoresist,rinsing, drying (e.g., hard baking), and/or other suitablephotolithographic steps. Alternatively, the photolithographic processmay be implemented, supplemented, or replaced by other methods such asmaskless photolithography, electron-beam writing, and ion-beam writing.Thereafter, an etch process may be performed to remove the exposedportions of the semiconductor layer 216. For example, a deep reactiveion etching (DRIE) process may be performed on the exposed portions ofthe semiconductor layer 216. In other embodiments, another dry etchprocess or a wet etch process may be used to remove the exposed portionsof the semiconductor layer 216.

The etch process may be a chemically selective etch process, such thatetching stops when the surface of the first substrate 200 is exposed. Asshown in FIG. 2D, the mask features 222 and 224 may be removed from theremaining portions of the semiconductor layer 216. These remainingportions of the semiconductor layer 216 may be referred to assemiconductor structures. As shown in FIG. 2D, two semiconductorstructures 230 and 232 remain on the surface of the first substrate 200.The patterning process performed at operation 108 may produce roundededges on the upper surface of the semiconductor structures 230 and 232.As described, the semiconductor structures 230 and 232 are bonded to thefirst substrate 200 by the bonding process performed at operation 104.Accordingly, fluids, such as bodily fluids, are not able to pass betweenthe semiconductor structures 230 and 232 and the underlying firstsubstrate 200. The semiconductor structures 230 and 232 may be alignedwith the openings 202 and 204, respectively. While two semiconductorstructures 230 and 232 are shown in FIG. 2D, other embodiments mayinclude more or fewer semiconductor structures.

At operation 110, a first conductive material layer is formed over theexposed surfaces of each of the semiconductor structures 230 and 232,resulting in a conductive material layer 234 over the semiconductorstructure 230 and a conductive material layer 236 formed over thesemiconductor structure 232. The conductive material layers 234 and 236may be produced by a shadow mask lithography process. The shadow masklithography process may utilize a stencil or mask 240 as shown in FIG.2E. The mask 240 may include windows 242 and 244 that correspond to thesemiconductor structures 230 and 232 in size, shape, and position. Aconductive material may be deposited over the substrate 200, beingprevented by the mask 240 from being deposited in locations other thanon the semiconductor structures 230 and 232 to form the conductivematerial layers 234 and 236. The conductive material contacts andadheres to the exposed surface of the semiconductor structures 230 and232, and may seal the semiconductor structures 230 and 232 from exposureto bodily fluids when a device having the semiconductor structures 230and 232 is implanted.

The conductive material may include biocompatible conductors includingmetals, metal nitrides, and conductive polymers. For example theconductive material layers 234 and 236 may be formed from materials suchas copper, aluminum, tungsten, aluminum/silicon/copper alloy, titanium,titanium nitride, nickel, polysilicon, metal silicide, other metallicand non-metallic conductive materials, and/or combinations thereof andmay have a multilayer composition. In some embodiments, a layer may bedeposited over the semiconductor structures 230 and 232 and the exposedsurface of the first substrate 200. The layer may be patterned by anetch process, leaving the layer over the semiconductor structures 230and 232 as the first conductive material layers 234 and 236 Thematerials of the conductive material of the conductive material layers234 and 236 may be deposited by one or more processes includingsputtering, PVD, CVD, thermal annealing (commonly used to form metalsilicides), photolithography, etching, and/or combinations thereof. Insome embodiments, the conductive material layers 234 and 236 are made oftitanium nitride (TiN). Other embodiments may include gold and/orplatinum. For example, some embodiments may use an alloy of platinum andiridium as the material of the conductive material layers 234 and 236,while some other embodiments use an alloy of titanium, platinum, andgold.

At operation 112, a second conductive material is deposited over theopposite side of the first substrate 200, such that the secondconductive material is deposited within each of the openings 202 and 204and forms conductors or conductive vias 250 and 252. In someembodiments, the conductive material of the vias 250 and 252 is the sameconductive material of the conductive material layers 234 and 236. Inother embodiments, different conductive materials may be used instead.As shown in FIG. 2F, the vias 250 and 252 may entirely fill the spacedefined by the openings 202 and 204. However, in other embodiments thevias 250 and 252 are provided by a layer of conductive material thatcoats the walls of the openings 202 and 204 and coats the exposedportion of the semiconductor structures 230 and 232. The vias 250 and252 may be formed using a shadow mask metallization process, similar tothe process depicted in FIG. 2E, or by another appropriate fabricationprocess.

The vias 250 and 252 may be formed from materials such as copper,aluminum, aluminum/silicon/copper alloy, titanium, titanium nitride,tungsten, nickel, polysilicon, metal silicide, other metallic andnon-metallic conductive materials, and/or combinations thereof and mayhave a multilayer composition. In an exemplary embodiment, the vias 250and 252 include a nickel/aluminum alloy. The materials of the conductivematerial of the vias 250 and 252 may be deposited by one or moreprocesses including sputtering, PVD, CVD, thermal annealing (commonlyused to form metal silicides), photolithography, etching, and/orcombinations thereof. In some embodiments, the vias 250 and 252 are madeof titanium nitride. Other embodiments may include gold and/or platinum.For example, some embodiments may use an alloy of platinum and iridiumas the material of the conductive material layers 234 and 236, whileothers use an alloy of titanium, platinum, and gold.

The vias 250 and 252 may be in direct physical contact with thesemiconductor structures 230 and 232. Alternatively, another conductivematerial layer may be interposed therebetween. While a top surface ofthe vias 250 and 252 is illustrated as flush with the top surface of thefirst substrate 200, in FIG. 2F, some embodiments may include portionsof the second conductive material protruding up from the surface of thefirst substrate 200, forming a lip thereon. In some embodiments, a briefchemical etch may be performed to remove any naturally occurring oxideon the exposed surface of the semiconductor structures 230 and 232 priorto depositing the material of vias 250 and 252 into the openings 202 and204.

At operation 114, a cap may be bonded to the first substrate. As shownin FIG. 2G, a cap 260 is bonded to the first substrate 200 at surfaces262 of the cap 260. The cap 260 may be made from glass, in someembodiments. Bonding may be accomplished by an anodic bonding process orby a laser welding process. As part of either bonding process, the cap260 and the substrate 200 may be preheated, as in other bondingoperations described herein. For example, the cap 260 and the substrate200 may be preheated to a temperature of about 75° C. to about 150° C.Thereafter, an electrostatic charge may be placed across the cap 260 andthe substrate 200, or the cap 260 and the substrate 200 may be exposedto laser activation or welding in a region corresponding to the surfaces262. The bonding may hermetically seal a chamber 264, defined by arecess 266 and by an upper surface of the first substrate 200.

Prior to bonding the cap 260 to the first substrate 200, one or moreelectronic components may be positioned within the chamber 264 andelectrically coupled to the vias 250 and 252 by leads 268. Theelectronic components may include a printed circuit board (PCB) 270, amicrocontroller 272, a communication module 274, and other components276. The printed circuit board 270 may route signals among and betweenthe vias 250 and 252 (and the semiconductor structures 230 and 232), themicrocontroller 272, the communication module 274, and/or the othercomponents 176.

In some embodiments, the printed circuit board 270 may also support acoil structure 278. The coil structure 278 may be a coil of conductivematerial that is configured to wirelessly receive electromagnetic energyfrom a remote power source, such as a power source that is disposedoutside of a patient's body. For example, when the implantable device280, which includes the first substrate 200 and at least all of thefeatures described as coupled thereto, electrically or mechanically, isimplanted within a patient, the coil structure 278 may receiveelectromagnetic energy from a source disposed in proximity to theimplantable device 280 but outside the patient's body. The othercomponents 276 include resistors, capacitors, inductors, and may includeone or more energy storage capacitors. The energy received by the coilstructure 278 may charge an energy storage capacitor to provide powerwhen the coil structure 278 is not receiving electromagnetic energy froman outside source.

As shown in FIG. 2G, the coil structure 278 may be a planar coilstructure disposed on a surface of, or in a layer of, the printedcircuit board 270. In other embodiments, the coil structure 278 may bedisposed within the chamber 264 surrounding the printed circuit board270 and the electronic components there on. As shown in FIG. 2H, thecoil structure 278 is provided by a coiled wire 282 that wraps aroundthe printed circuit board 270 repeatedly. While the coil structure 278is shown as surrounding the printed circuit board 270, other embodimentsof the coil structure 278 may be disposed above the printed circuitboard 270 such that a lateral distance between the printed circuit board270 and the walls of the recess 266 may be minimized.

Before the implantable device 280 is positioned within a patient duringa surgical procedure, the exterior corners or edges of the implantabledevice 280 may be smoothed or rounded. As shown in FIG. 2I, the exterioredges 284 of the cap 260 are rounded and the exterior edges 286 of thefirst substrate 200 are also rounded. The rounded edges 284 and 286 maybe produced during a fabrication process used to individuate implantabledevices that are formed in parallel, such as by wafer-level fabrication.The rounded edges 284 and 286 may be produced by a dicing process and/oran etching process, to reduce any impact the implantable device 280 mayhave on surrounding tissues at the site of implantation.

FIGS. 2J and 2K depict the implantable device 280 and partial crosssection and a top view and a bottom view, respectively. FIG. 2J showsthe microcontroller 272, the communication module 274, and othercomponents 276 positioned on the printed circuit board 270. The topsurface of the printed circuit board 270 may include leads 268.Additional leads may be included within the layers of the printedcircuit board 270. The microcontroller 272 may include processingcircuitry and radiofrequency communication circuitry to processinformation for transmission via the communication module 274 and toprocess information received via the communication module 274. In someembodiments, the communication module 274 is a near-field communication(NFC) module. In other embodiments, the communication module 274 may beconfigured to communicate in one or more other wireless protocols andassociated frequencies, e.g., WLAN, Bluetooth, ZigBee, WiFi, etc. Insome instances, both power and data are transmitted using radiofrequency(RF) communication. When both power and data are transmitted using RFcommunication, the RF communications for the power and data may be atdifferent wavelengths. Additionally, in some embodiments, the powerand/or data are transmitted using infrared (IR) communication and thecommunication module 274 may be an optical transceiver. In yet otherembodiments, the power and data are transmitted using differentcommunication techniques (e.g., RF communication for one and infrared(IR) communication for the other).

The microcontroller 272 may include a processor, a memory, atransceiver, and an antenna. These elements may be in direct or indirectcommunication with each other, for example via one or more buses. Theprocessor of the microcontroller 272 may include a CPU, a DSP, an ASIC,a controller, a FPGA device, another hardware device, a firmware device,or any combination thereof. The microcontroller 272 may also beimplemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combinationof a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one ormore microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other suchconfiguration.

The memory of the microcontroller 272 may include a cache memory (e.g.,a cache memory of the processor), RAM, MRAM, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM,flash memory, a solid state memory device, one or more hard disk drives,other forms of volatile and non-volatile memory, or a combination ofdifferent types of memory. In an embodiment, the memory includes anon-transitory computer readable medium. The memory may storeinstructions. The instructions may include instructions that, whenexecuted by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations toreceive instructions and commands and to transmit data including statusinformation and physiological data. Instructions may also be referred toas code, which may be interpreted broadly to include any type ofcomputer-readable statement(s).

For example, the microcontroller 272 may receive and process signalsfrom the semiconductor structures 230 and 232 to generate physiologicaldata based on contact with nerves or nerve bundles. The microcontroller272 may encode the physiological data for transmission by thecommunication module 274. Additionally, the communication module 274 mayreceive programming instructions and wireless signals and provide thoseprogramming instructions to the microcontroller 272 for reprogramming.The microcontroller 272 may include one or more memories for storinginstructions and for storing physiological data.

FIG. 2K depicts a partially cross-sectioned bottom view of theimplantable device 280. As shown in FIG. 2K, the coil structure 278 isdisposed on a bottom surface of the printed circuit board 270. Thesemiconductor structures 230 and 232 are shown as enclosed in theconductive material layers 234 and 236, respectively. The semiconductorstructures 230 and 232 are connected by planar conductors 290 to theleads 268. When implanted within a patient, the implantable device 280is positioned so that electrodes (e.g., the semiconductor structures 230and 232 and the conductive material layers 234 and 236) are in contactwith one or more nerves or nerve bundles within the patient. Such nervesor nerve bundle include the spinal cord, the deep brain, vagus nerves,renal nerves, peripheral nerves, etc. Electrical impulses may betransmitted via the electrodes to the nerves and electrical impulsesbeing transmitted via the nerves may be read using the electrodes.

Referring now to FIG. 2L, shown therein is an embodiment of theimplantable device 280 that includes an alternative first substrate200A. The substrate 200A may be similar to the substrate 200 in manyrespects. For example, the bulk of the substrate 200A may include or beformed from a non-conductive material, such as an insulator.Additionally, the substrate 200A includes at least one through-waferstructure. The substrate 200A further includes alternative vias 250A and252A as through-wafer structures. Accordingly, as used herein, athrough-wafer structure may be an opening made in preparation for aconductive material to be formed therein to create a via or athrough-wafer structure may be a formed via, including an opening filledwith a conductive material. Rather than the tapered configuration of thevias 250 and 252 as shown in FIG. 2A, the vias 250A and 252A may besubstantially straight through the bulk of the substrate 200A by beingformed in openings that are substantially straight. The vias 250A and252A may have a rectangular cross-sectional area, as shown in FIG. 2M,or a circular cross-sectional area, as shown in FIG. 2N. Both FIGS. 2Mand 2N depict embodiments of the alternative substrate 200A from abottom view. As illustrated, the substrate 200A has already been dicedfrom a larger wafer. FIG. 2O depicts yet another embodiment of thealternative substrate 200A. The substrate 200A shown in FIG. 2O includesthe alternative vias 250A and 252A and further includes isolationregions 254A and 254B. While the vias 250A and 252A are conductive, theisolation regions 254A and 254B provide for isolation between the vias250A and 252A and the bulk material of the substrate 200A.

For example, the alternative substrate 200A may be made from bulksilicon, while the isolation regions 254A and 254B are formed fromsilicon oxide and the vias 250A and 252A are formed from dopedpolysilicon. Other materials may be used, however the vias 250A and 252Aare more conductive than the bulk material of the substrate 200A, whichis more conductive than the material of the isolation regions 254A and254B. Additionally, the isolation regions 254A and 254B may have adifferent shape depending on, or independent of, the shape of the vias250A and 252A.

When one of the alternative substrate 200A is used in fabrication of theimplantable device 280, the method 100 of fabrication may omit operation102. The operations involved with forming the vias 250 and 252 may alsobe omitted in the method, as the vias 250A and 252A may be formed beforethe electronic components (including the printed circuit board (PCB)270, the microcontroller 272, the communication module 274, and othercomponents 276) are bonded to the substrate 200A and before thealternative substrate 200A is bonded to the cap 260.

Some suitable embodiments of the substrate 200A may be SCHOTT HermeS®products from SCHOTT AG of Landshut, Germany, through glass via productsmade by Tecnisco, LTD. of Tokyo, Japan, and through glass via productsmade by Plan Optik AG of Elsoff, Germany.

Referring now to FIG. 3, shown therein is a flowchart of a method 300 offabricating a plurality of implantable devices, like the implantabledevice 280 of FIGS. 2G-2K. Like the method 100 of FIG. 1, method 300 isillustrated as a series of enumerated steps or operations. Embodimentsof the method 300 may include additional operations before, after, inbetween, or as part of the enumerated operations. Additionally, someembodiments of the method 300 may omit one or more of the enumeratedoperations.

Accordingly, some embodiments of the method 300 may begin at operation302, in which a plurality of through-wafer features is formed in a firstwafer. FIG. 4A depicts a portion of a first wafer 400. The first wafer400 may be machined, etched, or drilled to produce through-waferfeatures like the openings 402, which include individual openings402A-F. The openings 402 may be tapered or straight. In the depictedembodiment of FIG. 4A, the openings 402 are tapered toward one end. FIG.4A further illustrates an alternative first wafer 400A, which may takethe place of the first wafer 400 in some embodiments of method 300. Asdiscussed in connection with the substrate 200A of FIGS. 2L-2O, thefirst wafer 400 includes vias that differ from the vias formed in theopenings 403A-F of first wafer 400 as shown in FIG. 4E, as discussed infurther detail below. The vias 403A-F include a conductive material,such as a doped semiconductor or a metal, for conducting power and/orsignals through the bulk material of the wafer 400A.

At operation 304, the first wafer may be bonded to a second wafer. Asshown in FIG. 4A, the second wafer 410 may include a plurality ofdifferent material layers. In some embodiments, the second wafer 410includes a handling layer 412, an intermediate layer 414, and asemiconductor layer 416 that separated from the handling layer 412 bythe intermediate layer 414. In some embodiments, the handling layer 412is silicon and the intermediate layer 414 is a buried oxide layer.Accordingly, the second wafer 410 may be referred to as asemiconductor-on-insulator wafer or a silicon-on-insulator wafer. Whilethe individual thicknesses of the different material layers of thesecond wafer 410 may vary between embodiments, in some embodiments thesemiconductor layer 416 may range from about 10 μm to about 100 μm. Insome embodiments, the semiconductor layer is about 20 μm in thickness.Other embodiments of the method 300 may include a second wafer that hasfewer material layers. For example, the second wafer 410 may be asilicon wafer without a buried oxide layer in some embodiments

Bonding the first wafer 400 to the semiconductor layer 416 may producethe structure shown in FIG. 4B, which shows the combination of thebonded wafers 400 and 410. The first wafer 400 and the second wafer 410may be bonded by anodic bonding or by laser welding as described hereinto produce a hermetic seal between the first wafer 400 and the secondwafer 410, more specifically between the first wafer 400 and thesemiconductor layer 416.

At operation 306, a portion of the second wafer is removed. As shown inFIG. 4C, the handling layer 412 and the intermediate layer 414 have beenremoved, exposing the semiconductor layer 416 which is bonded to thefirst wafer 400 with a hermetically sealed bond. Material may be removedfrom the second wafer 410 by chemical and/or physical processing steps,to provide a desired thickness for the semiconductor layer 416. Asdepicted in FIG. 4C, the semiconductor layer 416 has a generallyconstant thickness. In some embodiments of the operation 306, differentthicknesses of material may be removed from the second wafer 410 indifferent locations, such that the thickness of the semiconductor layer416 is different in different locations. Such embodiments may facilitatesemiconductor structures with varying shapes and configurations, such asflat pads and needles of various heights and thicknesses.

At operation 308, the semiconductor layer of the second wafer ispatterned to define a plurality of semiconductor structures. Thispatterning may be performed using photolithographic techniques, such asthe application and patterning of a layer of photoreactive material,such as photoresist, and subsequent etching of the exposed portions ofthe semiconductor layer 416. For example, the photoresist may be spunover the semiconductor layer 416 and exposed to produce mask featurespositioned over each of the openings 402 and the first wafer 400. Forexample, mask features like the mask features 222 and 224 of FIG. 2C maybe formed over the openings 402, or another through-wafer feature inanother embodiment. The exposed portions of the semiconductor layer 416may be etched away, by a chemical etch that selectively etches thematerial of the semiconductor layer 416 faster than the material of thefirst wafer 400. The semiconductor layer 416 may be etched by a deepreactive ion etch process, in some embodiments. Alternatively oradditionally, the physical etch may be used to pattern the semiconductorlayer 416 into a plurality of semiconductor structures 430. FIG. 4Ddepicts six such semiconductor structures 430, labeled individually assemiconductor structures 430A-F. While all of the semiconductorstructures 430 are depicted as being substantially planar, otherembodiments of the operation 308 may include semiconductor structures430 of varying configurations.

At operation 310, a first conductive material may be deposited over eachsemiconductor structure, the result of which is shown in FIG. 4D.Processes including formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physicalvapor deposition (PVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), other suitableprocesses, and/or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, shadow masklithography (depicted in FIG. 2E in connection with operation 110 ofmethod 100) is used to selectively deposit the first conductive materialin layers 434 (individual layers 434A-F) over each of the semiconductorstructures 430. The first conductive material layers 434 may cover some,or all, of the exposed surface of the semiconductor structures 430.Accordingly, in some embodiments, the first conductive material layers434 may provide an additional seal between the layers 434 and the firstwafer 400, further preventing fluid from passing through the openings402.

At operation 312, a second conductive material is deposited within theopenings 402 in the first wafer. This may be done as shown in FIG. 2Fand as described in connection with operation 112 of the method 100, toform vias 450 extending through the first wafer 400. The vias 450 areelectrically coupled to the semiconductor structures 430 to transmitsignals from a nerve or nerve bundle to one or more electroniccomponents. The vias 450 may be in direct contact with a surface of eachof the semiconductor structures 430 that is exposed by the openings 402.Chips 460 (individually, 460A-C) may be electrically and physicallycoupled to the vias 450 and the first wafer 400. The chips 460 mayinclude a microprocessor, a communication module, a coil structure, andother components such as those depicted in FIGS. 2G and 2G, which aredescribed therewith and, more generally, in connection with method 100of FIG. 1. The chips 460 may be positioned by an automatedpick-and-place machine to ensure proper placement and proper physicaland electrical connection. Embodiments of the method 300 that includingbonding the alternative wafer 400A to the second wafer 410 may omitoperation 312. Alternatively, such embodiments may include operation 312before operation 304.

At operation 314, a third wafer is bonded to the first wafer, such thata plurality of chambers is defined between the third wafer on the firstwafer. As shown in FIG. 4F, a portion of a third wafer 470 is shownwhile being positioned over the first wafer 400. The third wafer 470includes a plurality of recesses 472, individually recesses 472A-C. Whenthe wafer 400 and the third wafer 470 are in contact, a bonding processmay be performed. As shown in FIG. 4G, a voltage source 480 may becoupled by electrodes 482 to the third wafer 470 and the first wafer400. In some embodiments the voltage source 480 may be coupled to onlyone of the third wafer 470 and the first wafer 400, with the otherconnected to ground. Using the voltage source 480, an anodic bond may beformed between the wafers 400 and 470. The anodic bond seals chambers474, defined by the recesses 472 and the upper surface of the firstwafer 400, which include the chips 460.

Alternatively, operation 314 may be performed by a laser welding processas depicted in FIG. 4H. As shown in FIG. 4H, the first wafer 400 and thethird wafer 470 are brought into contact. The first wafer 400 and thethird wafer for 70 may be heated or preheated to a temperature around100° C. Thereafter, the wafers 400 and 470 may be exposed to a laserbeam depicted by the arrows 484. The laser beam may be focused at theareas where the third wafer 470 contacts the first wafer 400. The laserbeam may provide localized heat to the desired location of a bond. Thelaser beam may be directed across the wafer in a grid-like pattern toprovide a seal that surrounds each of the chambers 474. Whether anodicbonding or laser beam welding is used, operation 314 results inhermetically sealed chambers 474.

Embodiments of the method 300 may further include one or more operationsto divide the bonded wafers 400 and 470 into individual implantabledevices, like the implantable device 280 described herein. Dicing thebonded wafers may be done using a dicing saw after attaching the wafer400 or the wafer 470 to an adhesive carrier. Alternatively, a rotatingbit may be used to separate the wafers into individual devices. FIG. 4Iillustrates a dicing saw blade 492 that is separating an implantabledevice 490B from another implantable device 490C, which were produced inparallel by the wafer-level processing of method 300. After dicing, thewalls of one of the implantable devices 490 may have a thickness T1 in arange from about 200 μm to about 600 μm. In some embodiments, thethickness T1 is about 500 μm. While the saw blade 492 has a uniformprofile, other embodiments may include a saw blade 494 as illustrated inFIG. 4J. A rotating, dicing bit having the profile of the blade 494 maybe used in some embodiments. The surface of the saw blade 494 includes acurve 496 on either side. These curves 496 operate to round the edges ofthe caps formed by the dicing of the third wafer 470, while theindividual implantable devices 490 are being diced. As shown in FIG. 4J,the edges of the implantable device 490A have been rounded during thedicing process. The top edges between the implantable devices 490B and490C are being rounded by the curves 496 while these devices are beingseparated by the dicing saw 494. In some embodiments, the dicing may beperformed in two stages: once from a top surface and again from thebottom surface, with the blade not extending fully through both thewafers 400 and 470. While the illustrated examples in FIGS. 4I and 4Jdepict the saw blade as penetrating from the third wafer 470 to thefirst wafer 400, the saw blade 492 or 494 may also individuate theimplantable devices 490 from the first wafer 400 to the third wafer 470.

Alternatively or additionally, an etching process may be performed toround the corners of the implantable devices 490. For example, as shownin FIG. 4K, and etch process 497 may be performed to round the corners498 to produce rounded corners 499 as depicted in FIG. 4L. In someembodiments of the method 300, a first etch process may be performed toround the top corners of the implantable devices 490 and a second etchprocess may be performed to round the bottom corners of the implantabledevices.

Referring now to FIGS. 5A and 5B, shown therein are implantable devices500A and 500B, respectively. The implantable devices 500A and 500B maybe formed by embodiments of the methods 100 and 300. This may be done byadding additional steps as part of the operation 108 of method 100 andoperation 308 of method 300. These additional steps may be described inmore detail in U.S. Pat. No. 9,329,201, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, andentitled “Methods, Devices, and Systems for Forming Atomically PreciseStructures,” the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference. As shown in FIG. 5A, the implantable device 500A includes afirst electrode 502 and a second electrode 512. The first electrode 502has a needle-like shape and may be referred to as a penetrating needle.The second electrode 512 has a generally planar shape and may bereferred to as an electrode pad. Both of the electrodes 502 and 512include a semiconductor structure, referred to as semiconductorstructures 504 and 514, respectively. The semiconductor structures 504and 514 may be formed from a single semiconductor layer that was bondedto the substrate 520. As noted herein, the semiconductor layer may havedifferent heights or thicknesses at different locations. The electrodes502 and 512 may also include a conductive coating thereon. Asillustrated, the electrode 502 includes a coating provided by aconductive material layer 506. The electrode 512 includes a conductivematerial layer 516. In some embodiments, either or both of theelectrodes 502 and 512 may include an insulating coating or layer havingan opening to more precisely control where an electrical connection orconnections may be made with the electrodes 502 and 512 by nerves orbundles of nerves.

FIG. 5B depicts an implantable device 500B that includes more than twoelectrodes. As described herein, the implantable devices made by themethods 100 and/or 300 may include one electrode, two electrodes, ormore electrodes. The implantable device 500B includes the electrode 502and the electrode 512, and further includes an electrode 522. Like theelectrodes 502 and 512, the electrode 522 includes a semiconductorstructure 524 and a conductive material layer 526 deposited thereon. Asshown, the electrode 522 is shorter than the electrode 502 and tallerthan the electrode 512. Additionally, the electrode 522 is wider thanthe electrode 502.

In general, the implantable devices disclosed herein may includeconfigured in a linear array, a two-dimensional array, or other suitablespatial distribution. The electrodes can be of various type, includingpenetrating electrodes, self-embedding electrodes (e.g., electrodes witha structural profile, such as an hourglass profile, that allowsinsertion into a nerve or nerve bundle, but resists or prevents unwantedremoval without requiring a separate securing device, such as a tack),flat or surface electrodes, flexible electrodes, and/or combinationsthereof. Further, in some instances each electrode may include aplurality of discrete stimulation and/or monitoring sites. In thisregard, a penetrating needle with a plurality of discrete stimulationand/or monitoring sites at various positions along the length of theelectrode can be utilized to precisely target stimulation and/ormonitoring at a desired depth or combination of different depths of anerve or nerve bundle. Such varied configurations of the exemplaryelectrodes 502, 512, and 522 may be employed to contact a nerve bundleat different depths or to contact different nerves using a singleimplantable device 500A or 500B.

Additional embodiments of implantable devices described herein mayinclude electrodes with yet other different shapes and dimensions, asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,329,201. The methods described hereinproduce implantable nerve transducers that are hermetically sealed toprevent any fluid from accessing electronic components encased withinthe implantable devices. The implantable devices may have biocompatibleexterior materials to prevent complications during use of the devices.These devices may receive power wirelessly and may record neuralactivity and communicate recorded data wirelessly to a receiver outsidethe patient's body, through skin and other tissue.

As those of some skill in this art will by now appreciate and dependingon the particular application at hand, many modifications, substitutionsand variations can be made in and to the materials, apparatus,configurations and methods of fabrication of the devices of the presentdisclosure without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. In lightof this, the scope of the present disclosure should not be limited tothat of the particular embodiments illustrated and described herein, asthey are merely by way of some examples thereof, but rather, should befully commensurate with that of the claims appended hereafter and theirfunctional equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. An implantable nerve transducer comprising: aplurality of electrodes protruding from a first surface of a substrate,the plurality of electrodes being external contacts to the implantablenerve transducer, the plurality of electrodes comprising a firstpenetrating needle of a first size and a second penetrating needle of asecond size different from the first size, first ends of the first andthe second penetrating needles being attached to the first surface,second ends of the first and the second penetrating needles beingconfigured to physically contact a nerve bundle at different depths orto physically contact different nerves; a plurality of conductorsextending from the first surface of the substrate to an opposing secondsurface of the substrate and within a plurality of openings in thesubstrate, each conductor electrically coupling to at least one of theelectrodes; a printed circuit board attached to the second surface ofthe substrate; one or more electronic components electrically coupled tothe electrodes by the conductors and disposed on the printed circuitboard; and a cap bonded to the substrate to provide a sealed chamber,the sealed chamber containing the one or more electronic components andthe printed circuit board.
 2. The implantable nerve transducer of claim1, wherein the plurality of electrodes further comprises at least oneflat pad comprising a contoured sidewall, the at least one flat padbeing configured to be physically in contact with a nerve.
 3. Theimplantable nerve transducer of claim 1, wherein a conductive layer isformed over an exposed portion of each of the plurality of electrodes.4. The implantable nerve transducer of claim 1, wherein: the pluralityof electrodes comprises a metal, the substrate comprises glass, and thecap comprises glass.
 5. The implantable nerve transducer of claim 1,wherein the cap is bonded to the substrate by anodic bonding or by laserwelding such that the sealed chamber is hermetically sealed.
 6. Theimplantable nerve transducer of claim 1, wherein an exterior surface ofthe cap has rounded edges, and wherein the first surface of thesubstrate has rounded edges.
 7. The implantable nerve transducer ofclaim 1, wherein each of the plurality of electrodes comprises a TiNlayer, and wherein the conductors are formed from anothertitanium-containing material layer.
 8. The implantable nerve transducerof claim 1, wherein the one or more electronic components comprises amicrocontroller.
 9. The implantable nerve transducer of claim 8, whereinthe microcontroller is configured to: receive signals from the pluralityof electrodes; and process the signals to generate physiological databased on contact of the plurality of electrodes with the nerve.
 10. Theimplantable nerve transducer of claim 9, wherein the microcontroller isfurther configured to cause one or more of the electrodes to stimulatethe nerve and sense an electrical signal in the nerve.
 11. Theimplantable nerve transducer of claim 9, wherein the one or moreelectronic components comprises a memory in communication with themicrocontroller, and wherein the microcontroller is further configuredto store the physiological data to the memory.
 12. The implantable nervetransducer of claim 9, wherein the one or more electronic componentsfurther comprises a wireless communication module configured to transmitthe physiological data to a receiver.
 13. The implantable nervetransducer of claim 1, further comprising a conductive coil structureconfigured to capture electromagnetic energy to provide power to the oneor more electronic components.
 14. The implantable nerve transducer ofclaim 13, wherein the conductive coil structure is a planar coil. 15.The implantable nerve transducer of claim 1, wherein an electrode of theplurality of electrodes comprises a plurality of discrete stimulating ormonitoring sites disposed at different locations along a length of theelectrode such that the electrode is configured to stimulate and/ormonitor at different depths.
 16. The implantable nerve transducer ofclaim 15, wherein the electrode comprises a flexible electrode or a flatpad with rounded edges.
 17. An implantable nerve transducer comprising:a glass substrate; a cap fusion bonded to the glass substrate to form ahousing, all corners of the housing having rounded edges; a sealedchamber between the cap and the glass substrate; a printed circuit boardcomprising a first side and an opposite second side disposed in thesealed chamber; a microcontroller disposed at the first side of theprinted circuit board; a communication chip disposed at the first sideof the printed circuit board; a coil structure; a first through via anda second through via disposed in the glass substrate; a firstpenetrating needle attached to the first through via; and a secondpenetrating needle attached to the second through via, the first and thesecond penetrating needles comprising a semiconductor material regioncovered with a conductive material layer, the first and the secondpenetrating needles being configured to physically contact a nervebundle at different depths or to physically contact different nerves.18. The implantable nerve transducer of claim 17, wherein the coilstructure is disposed at the second side of the printed circuit board.19. An implantable nerve transducer comprising: a glass substrate; a capfusion bonded to the glass substrate to form a housing, all corners ofthe housing having rounded edges; a sealed chamber between the cap andthe glass substrate; a printed circuit board comprising a first side andan opposite second side disposed in the sealed chamber; amicrocontroller disposed at the first side of the printed circuit board;a communication chip disposed at the first side of the printed circuitboard; a coil structure disposed above, along walls of the cap, theprinted circuit board; a first through via and a second through viadisposed in the glass substrate; a first electrode attached to the firstthrough via; and a second electrode attached to the second through via,the first and the second electrodes comprising a semiconductor materialregion covered with a conductive material layer, the first and thesecond electrodes protruding away from the glass substrate.
 20. Theimplantable nerve transducer of claim 19, wherein the first electrodeand the second electrode comprise silicon, and wherein the first throughvia and the second through via comprise silicon.